Recent technologies relative to ballasts and light sources are more energy efficient than those used in the past. However, the expense of replacing an entire light fixture previously installed may make taking advantage of such improvements in these technologies cost prohibitive. Recently, efforts have been made to retrofit previously installed light fixtures to provide a less expensive way to take advantage of new lighting technology.
Light fixture retrofitting is the practice of replacing or eliminating components in an existing light fixture housing to make the light fixture more energy efficient or change some other performance characteristic of the light fixture. However, the larger the cost of replacement components and longer the installation of a retrofit solution takes, the less likely that retrofit solution will make economic sense for the owner of the previously installed light fixture.
Many current retrofitting solutions are relatively crude in design, often requiring lengthy and complex installation with loose parts, which may add to the installer's difficulty since many of the light fixtures being retrofitted are recessed in a ceiling. Wiring the previously installed fixture is often a difficult task and, sometimes, a hazardous one that could affect the safety of the installer, especially when the fixtures are at high elevation or difficult to reach. Essentially, the pre-existing housing is an upside down box where any installation of a new component into that upside down box brings with it the risk of falling objects. This creates a safety hazard not only for the installer but other individuals in the installation area. Moreover, the more cumbersome the installation, the longer the installation may take and the greater the number of installers needed to complete the installations. Such delay and/or additional installers only add to the expense of retrofitting existing lighting fixtures.